


I Built Myself A House Of Glass

by sophwrites



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: And I got a bit carried away, Domestic, Established Relationship, Fluff, Help I've Fallen And I can't Get Up, M/M, literally I just wanted to write a fic of them lying in bed together talking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-29
Updated: 2016-06-29
Packaged: 2018-07-18 20:39:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7329907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sophwrites/pseuds/sophwrites
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aaron and Robert lie in bed together after attending the renewal of Jimmy and Nicola’s wedding vows and talk about the day's events. Will this prompt any wedding discussions of their own? (Spoiler: it will.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Built Myself A House Of Glass

**Author's Note:**

> Separate universe to my first fic, set three years ahead of the current timeline! The title comes from the Edward Thomas poem of the same name; at times it reminds me of both Aaron and Robert.
> 
> Unbetaed, so please tell me if you spot any mistakes!

"Sorry about today, I know weddings aren't really your thing an’ all."

Robert studiously avoided Aaron's eyes as he spoke, but his arms tightened almost imperceptibly around his boyfriend. As they lay in bed together, both took a long moment to inevitably remember Robert's wedding, and all the events surrounding it.

It seemed like a lifetime ago to Aaron.

He gently rubbed his bare leg against Robert's, a movement that cleared his thoughts and acted as a silent reassurance to both of them. Things were better now. They didn't need to dredge up the past anymore.

"Nah, you're alright," Aaron grinned as his beard scratched Robert's chest. He nuzzled his head lightly as he leant against Robert, if only because it amused him to see the pale, sensitive skin turn red from the light aggravation. "It was… weird, but it was alright."

Jimmy and Nicola had taken the opportunity to renew their wedding vows. After spouts of arguments, troubles and dealing with numerous children (theirs or otherwise), they had decided it was high time they reaffirm their love for one another. 

Not quite a wedding, but a similar sentiment.

Ever since Robert had joined Home James three years ago, the trio had gradually found better footing with one another. Robert, therefore, had been invited to the event. He'd told Aaron he'd brought him along purely to help him suffer through the day, but really, Robert liked knowing he could take Aaron anywhere and introduce him as his partner, his boyfriend. 'Did you come to this event alone?' _Oh no, I brought the better half with me tonight._ He liked to show Aaron off. Robert thought he always did look better in a suit. Needless to say, Robert might have been on better terms with the Kings, but that didn't mean they were his best friends. 

He shuddered at the thought.

They’d had it at the B&B, surprisingly enough. Nicola had been vehemently against it at first, turning her nose up in a way only she could. Robert remembered sitting at his desk and trying to drown out her voice by attempting to recite the alphabet backwards. _Anything to stop her whinging, moody cow,_ he’d thought.

He remembered telling Aaron about her tirade when he'd gotten home, Aaron lying half on and half off the sofa; one leg propped up on the arm of it, the other touching the floor. Open. It was as if they were inviting Robert to slide between them, calling to him to stake his claim.

Robert had smirked inwardly, knowing the marks littering Aaron’s body meant he'd definitely done that, _more_ than once.

Aaron had laughed, hands interlinked and resting on his own stomach, blue eyes only for Robert. He'd licked his lips, and that had been enough to make Robert’s mind quieten, his only thoughts: _Aaron. Upstairs. Bed. Now._

The smile that overtook Robert's face in the present uncoiled languidly, much the same way his body did as he stretched underneath Aaron.

They both shifted slightly, then settled again as the sky grew pink, marking the farewell of the late summer Sun for another day. Robert closed his eyes and bathed in the feeling of contentment, close around him but not suffocating. He welcomed the feeling of safety as his head lolled back against the wooden headboard, Aaron tucked securely under his arm.

The younger man wrapped around him as if he would disappear, arm across stomach firmly. His touch lacked urgency, but still felt to Robert as though Aaron believed that if some part of them did not touch each other, colour would drain from the world and fade to black, deeper and more unfathomable than the ocean unknown.

"Who said weddings weren't my thing anyway?" Aaron mumbled into warm skin.

Robert realised he must have been silent for a long time, stuck in his reverie. 

"Well our history with weddings isn't exactly fantastic, is it?" Robert attempted to inject some light humour into the sudden twist in conversation, and laughed despite the severity of the reference. "And you've never seemed that keen."

"Who doesn't love a good booze up?" Aaron grinned, propping his chin up on Robert’s chest.

"See, that's what I mean!" Robert said triumphantly. "Sometimes you're a sentimental guy, but not about this."

Aaron looked distinctly uncomfortable as Robert peered down at him from his half-upright sitting position, and he rubbed increasingly absentminded and frantic circles on Robert's torso. 

"Look alright," Aaron huffed and moved as if to leave Robert's embrace, but Robert held firm, enjoying their proximity and the feeling of Aaron's body pressed against his: strong, but pliant. "S'just not something I ever thought would be a possibility for me. Not against 'em. Just never pictured myself with anyone I'd actually wanna marry."

“What does that mean?” Robert had learnt better than to try and make assumptions about Aaron’s thought processes when he was being particularly cryptic.

Aaron simply stared out through the open window as the sky faded to red.

It was a long time before he replied, so long that Robert had almost dozed off in the absence of conversation. “Never met anyone like you before, have I?”

His resigned tone lacked the bite it probably would have possessed had the two not been so relaxed in bed. Robert smiled lopsidedly, as that admission confirmed what he had guessed (despite his rule of no assumptions.)

“So you never thought about marrying anyone before you met me?”

“No,” Aaron huffed but shuffled closer to Robert all the same.

Robert's grin was wide, eyes shining as the thoughts he'd had for longer than he cared to admit were finally voiced. “So you want us to get married?”

Aaron said nothing.

“What would you say if I asked you to marry me? Hypothetically speaking, obviously,” Robert tried again.

“Get stuffed.”

“Ha ha.” Robert rolled his eyes and tried for a third time: “I'm actually being serious here y’know.” 

Aaron opened his mouth as if to make an even more sarcastic remark, but let out a long breath, the fight leaving him. 

He’d wanted to bring this up to Robert for a long time, but didn't know how to talk about it without necessarily proposing. Now, the opportunity was here, but he couldn't seem to find the right words to express his emotions.

 _Typical_ , he inwardly scoffed.

“I'd say yeah, wouldn't I?” He grumbled, as if admitting to such a joyous revelation was paining him.

“Would you?”

“Yeah, I would,” Aaron practically growled. “What’s with all the questions? Stop pecking my head!”

It took all of two seconds before Robert’s body began to shake with uncontainable laughter, and Aaron followed suit shortly, his own chuckle prompted by the rumbling of Robert’s chest. The older man leant down to kiss his boyfriend’s head fondly, smiling against his crown as he vaguely heard Aaron mumble _'do one'_ through their combined laughter.

Robert couldn't help but be amused by Aaron’s gruff attitude, knowing his hairs weren't really raised, otherwise he wouldn't still be lying lazily in bed. This knowledge meant he couldn't resist needling Aaron just a tad more.

"So... Does this mean we're getting married?" He asked, expecting Aaron to jokingly wave away the conversation.

“Suppose so,” Aaron affirmed, startling both men with the honest response. The implication of what they had just agreed to hit them both, simultaneously.

“Oh.”

“No need to sound so pleased,” Aaron rolled his eyes, recovering quickly, not wanting to be rebuffed.

Even now, a small part of him was still waiting to get hurt again.

Robert lightly slapped Aaron’s arm. “Don't be daft, I didn't mean it like that. It's just... Somehow I expected it to be more dramatic than this. You’re forgetting it’s _us_ we’re talking about.” 

“Oh sorry,” Aaron smirked, doubts vanished, “I’ll just get up and do a bit of panto, shall I? That liven up the proposal enough for you?” 

Robert laughed. “Shut up,” he said affectionately.

They lapsed into silence as the room grew dark. Neither moved to turn on a light, content to let the world slip away as they slowly did the same.

“What will we tell people?” Robert broke the silence. “Who proposed? Surely you don't want everyone to know this happened while we were in bed with just our boxers on?” 

“Course not,” Aaron replied immediately. “None of their business, is it?”

“I'm sure that line will go over _really_ well with Chas.”

Aaron huffed. Robert had a point there.

“We’ll just say we started talking about weddings and we agreed on having one. That's what happened; that's the truth. If people don't like that, then they can sod off.” 

Robert looked satisfied with that answer, but couldn't help his teasing. “Right so, I’ll say _you_ proposed, and you were so rubbish you couldn't even get down on one knee like a proper soon-to-be-fiancé. Tut tut.” 

Aaron shifted up and smothered his quiet chuckle in Robert's neck. “Scandalous." 

"What will the village think? You're losing your touch, Aaron." 

"Maybe I'll do it some other time, when I can be bothered to move.” 

“Charming.” Robert laughed, letting Aaron know he wasn't actually offended. “When are we thinking of doing this then?”

“Don't have to set a date yet, do we?” Aaron mumbled into Robert's neck.

Robert ignored him. “Where will we have it? I don't think we can have it in the church. Isn't there some rule about only being able to get married in a church once? I'll have to look it up—”

“Flippin' heck Robert,” Aaron shook his head. He pulled back to look at Robert's face and barely held in his laugh. “You're planning it already and we've not even made it official yet.”

His boyfriend’s (fiancé’s?) giddy expression dropped and was replaced by a crestfallen look. “Sorry.”

Aaron let the silence hang between them for about thirty seconds before the guilt that washed over him was too strong to ignore. It wasn't wrong to be excited. They'd been together for over three years, and Aaron didn't have to pretend he didn't have romantic feelings in front of anyone now, least of all Robert.

“No, I'm sorry,” he apologised. “I know you're pleased. I am too. Just don't want to be teased for gushing about a wedding, that’s all.”

“I wouldn't—”

“I know _you_ wouldn't,” Aaron cut him off. “But other people will. I'm happy we made this decision; just don't expect me to sing a song about it."

“ _No one_ would expect you to do that.”

“Yeah yeah, laugh it up. You were the one on the verge of havin’ a cry a minute ago.” 

“I've been told I look handsome when I pout, I'll have you know.” Robert smirked.

“Oh, that sounds like my mate ‘arrogance’ is poppin’ in to say hello,” Aaron quipped. “Thought I hadn't seen him in a while.”

“Piss off.”

“You're the one who just admitted to pouting,” Aaron reminded him smugly. 

Robert tightened his grip on Aaron to a squeeze, trying to playfully silence him when he couldn't think of a witty enough come back.

Eventually they settled again, the sky completely dark now. They kissed goodnight tenderly, rearranging the duvet and smiling gently at one another in the darkness. Aaron traced Robert’s old gunshot scar familiarly as he let the darkness of the room begin to lull him into a peaceful sleep.

“D'you think Liv would go for flower girl?” 

Aaron knew it was a joke, but still let out a frustrated noise. “Do you ever shut up?” Robert kept quiet. “…And no, she wouldn't go for flower girl because she's eighteen now, not eight.”

“Have to find someone else then,” Robert replied vaguely.

The silence was closing in on Aaron and he knew he'd properly upset Robert this time. “What about Sarah? I know she's fourteen now, but that's a bit more appropriate, age-wise.” Robert stiffened underneath him and Aaron rushed to explain himself. “I know you're not on good terms with Andy, but at least you two are civil now. And she's your family.”

“Wish Adam and Vic had a kid,” Robert said petulantly, but his body relaxed. “I'll think about it.”

Aaron decided to continue down this vein of question seeing as it didn't look like Robert would be ready to sleep any time soon.

“Who's gonna be your ‘best man’?” Aaron made air quotes in the darkness, using the hand not trapped underneath Robert’s weight. “Vic?” 

“Well, you'll ask Adam.”

“Yeah, I reckon so.”

“…I was thinking about asking Liv.”

Aaron had to pause to make sure he'd heard correctly. “Seriously?”

“Well yeah. I mean Andy already had Vic when he married... well you remember,” Robert couldn't bring himself to say her name in such an intimate conversation. “And Liv’s eighteen now like you said. You know how much closer we are since the three of us started living together.”

Aaron hummed his agreement. 

“I'm sure Vic would understand,” Robert spoke again.

Aaron patted his chest in approval. “Yeah. And you and Liv are like partners in crime now, thick as thieves.” 

“Nah, that's still you two,” Robert laughed easily, “Ganging up on me, calling me an old man.”

Aaron let their laughter die down before he spoke again.

“So that's it then, we’re really doing this?” He felt more vulnerable than he had around Robert in a long time, the two of them lying there in the darkness. He wondered if the world would look slightly different when he awoke: if his perception would be altered to match the shift about to occur in his life.

“I guess so.” 

“Oh, thanks. As your husband, I feel totally reassured.”

Robert let in a sharp breath at Aaron’s casual use of the word and Aaron was surprised. He'd not expected him to react so vocally. “Say that again.”

“I feel totally reassured?”

Aaron could practically feel Robert’s glare through the darkness.

“As your husband...”

Lips found his and he kissed back urgently, wanting to convey that he was affected by the words too, butterflies rising in his stomach at the thought of them becoming a reality. They pulled away, but stayed close enough that their noses brushed, and Aaron could feel Robert’s smile. Robert spoke softly to Aaron: “Goodnight, Mr. Sugden.”

“Wait a sec, mate. If you think _I’m_ the one changing _my_ name—”

Robert only laughed.

**Author's Note:**

> Yay for mature adult conversations! I genuinely can't remember if the church thing is true or not, so please let me know if you know! Also, just in case people aren't familiar, panto is short for pantomime. It’s a (typically British?) type of (pretty over-dramatic) theatre usually put on at Christmas.
> 
> I hope the boys were true to character, and please let me know what you thought? :)


End file.
